Last updated 5.53pm with PL reaction below.

The architect responsible for the timber factory project that collapsed last December, killing Jean Paul Sofia, appeared to have transferred a substantial amount of money and properties in the weeks after the incident, a magisterial inquiry has found.

Magistrate Marse-Ann Farrugia wrote in the inquiry report, published by the government on Wednesday, that Whatsapp chats showed that architect Adriana Zammit was transferring "substantial amounts" of money and property. The magistrate observed that this, in itself, was not a crime.

The chats were between Zammit and a certain "Christian" and happened from January 3, 2023 onwards - just a month after the fatal incident. The chats indicated that the architect started transferring unspecified sums of money and immovable property to third parties.

The inquiry report was published after Prime Minister Robert Abela pledged that he would ask the Attorney General for it and then make it public.

On July 17, Abela gave in to public demands for a public inquiry into Sofia’s death after saying that the magisterial inquiry's conclusion was taking too long. 

The inquiry report was eventually presented to the Attorney General on July 21.

Two days later, five people were charged with the involuntary homicide of 20-year-old worker Sofia.

The five are the construction project’s two developers, the project architect and the two directors of the contracting firm carrying out works at the time.

Kurt Buhagiar, 37 and from Naxxar, 38-year-old Birkirkara resident Matthew Schembri, 35-year-old Żabbar architect Adriana Zammit, contractor Milomir Jovicevic, 39 and his wife both from Serbia and company co-director Dijana Jovicevic, 38 and from Bosnia and Herzegovina, all pleaded not guilty to criminal charges.

Aside from involuntary homicide, all five stand accused of having caused grievous injuries to five workers who were at the site when the building collapsed.

Schembri, one of the developers, is also alleged to have falsified a signature on the project’s commencement notice – an official document that must be submitted to authorities before works can begin.

See the report in full by clicking the pdf link below. 

PN: Inquiry report shows why a public inquiry was also needed

In a statement, the Nationalist Party said the magisterial inquiry report showed why an independent public inquiry was also needed, despite the prime minister's original objections.

It observed that in her report, Magistrate Marse-Ann Farrugia wrote that a magisterial inquiry legally could not delve into any possible administrative or legislative shortcomings which could have contributed to the tragedy.

She also pointed out that the evidence did indicate institutional shortcomings and these could be the subject of a separate investigation by the authorities in terms of the law. 

This belied arguments made for months by Robert Abela as he resisted the holding of a public inquiry, the PN said.  

PL: Magisterial inquiry report shows no one was covering for anybody

The Labour Party said the publication of the magisterial report showed that no one was covering for anybody, despite the PN's claims.

It also showed that the prime minister had been true to his word.   

The report showed that the inquiry was well-resourced and could enable the wheels of justice to start to turn.  

Read the magisterial inquiry in full in the attached PDF.